Apparatus for the continuous wrinkling of web shaped flat materials

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for the continuous crumpling of web-shaped and flexible flat material, in order to make this flat material pliable or to loosen grain. The web material is fed, in the outspread condition, to a treatment zone wherein it is gathered repeatedly in its length and width, so that arbitrary creases are formed in the web. Thereafter, the web is again stretched, spread out and further transported in this condition.

United States Patent Meyer Dec. 16, 1975 [5 APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS1,844,697 2/1932 Smith 264/287 WRINKLING 0 W -S FLAT 2,197,147 4/1940Hadley 26/1 8.5 2,915,109 12/1959 Walton 264/282 X MATERIALS 2,960,14511/1960 Ruegenberg... 264/286 [76] Inventor: Arnfried Meyer, 3,188,3726/1965 Roos 264/287 Neckargartacherstrasse 3,466,358 9/1969 MUliCl'264/287 Frankenbach, Germany 3,713,219 1/1973 Fleissner 26/l8.5 22Filed; 4 9 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS pp No 207 898 1,325,8613/1963 France 264/286 Primary Examiner-Robert R. Mackey [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Craig & AntonelliDec. 14, 1970 Austria 11219/70 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 26/1; 162/271;223/28; 1

264/282 An apparatus for the contmnous crumplmg of Weh- [51] Int Cl 2006C 19/00 shaped and flexible flat material, in order to make this [58]Fieid 62/1 1 1 197 flat material pliable or to loosen grain. The webmate- 162/270 223/28 rial is fed, in the outspread condition, to atreatment zone wherein it is gathered repeatedly in its length and [56]References Cited width, so that arbitrary creases are formed in the web.Thereafter, the web is again stretched, spread out and UNITED STATESPATENTS further transported in this condition. 1,196,888 9/1916 Scherf162/197 X 1,457,664 6/1923 Ford 264/287 16 Clams, l2 Drawlng f g US.Patent Dec. 16,1975 Sheet10f4 3,925,863

FIG. 7

U.S. Patent Dec.16,1975 Sheet20f4 925,863

FIG. 3

5 G I F US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet3of4 3,925,863

US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet40f4 3,925,863

FIG. 9

FIG. 70

APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS WRINKLING OF WEB SHAPED FLAT MATERIALSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process for thecontinuous crumpling of web-shaped and flexible flat material, forexample for the graining of artificial leather webs, and to an apparatusfor conducting this process.

It is known to grain webs of artificial leather in a drum machine. Forthis purpose, the artifical leather web is cut, depending on the size ofthe drum, into correspondingly long sections and introduced into thedrum. By the rotation of the drum, the artificial leather web iscontinuously placed into arbitrary (random) positions, wherein, due tothe thus-occurring compressive forces, an irregular crumpling actiontakes place and, concomitantly, a like bending and notching of theartificial leather. If necessary, heat and optionally steam areadditionally applied during this treatment. After this processing, theartificial leather web is removed from the drum, disentangled, and woundup again. This procedure produces satisfactory results per se, but hasthe disadvantage that the artificial leather web can only be processedperiodically and piecemeal. This means a considerable interruption inthe treatment following the continuously executed coating procedure forthis material. Furthermore, the material is discharged from the drum inirregular layers, partially entangled, if not knotted. Thedisentanglement of the web of artificial leather, which is relativelylong in spite of the limited length of the web, represents additionalproblems to be met by the personnel, even though special appliances areutilized for this purpose. Heretofore, the graining of such artificialleather webs not only undesirably interrupted the treatment processwhich up to this step took place continuously, but required complicatedworking steps and thus was expensive.

In the prior art the embossing of web-shaped material is known, forexample with the aid of rolls pressed against each other with a highcompressive force. This process produces a quite specific, continuouslyrepeated pattern. It is not possible, however, to obtain a naturalappearance, as is particularly required with respect to artificialleather webs. Thus, an embossing process, being an entirely differentmethod yielding dissimilar results, cannot be compared with crumplingprocedures of the prior art or the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION guished, in a further development of thisinvention, by'

the fact that the guide elements for gathering the web are fashioned asforks swinging toward one another, between which the web is passed andperiodically compressed laterally.

Another apparatus for conducting the process exhibits several shafts'inthe feed direction, each shaft carrying, as the guide elements forgathering the web, disks disposed at axial distances therealong whichengage into the gaps between the axially spaced disks of the adjacentshaft(s). The web is passed in an undulating manner through spacesprovided axially between the disks as well as radially between the disksof one shaft and the adjacent shaft(s).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features, advantagesand objects of the present invention will become more apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the invention and the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the lateral view of an apparatus according to the inventionfor crumpling webs of material employing fork-like guide elementseffective laterally against one another;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the apparatus according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a lateral view of an apparatus according to the invention forcrumpling webs of material, with rotating disk-like guide elements;

FIG. 4 is a top-.view of the apparatus according to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a triangular guide element of anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of an oval guide element of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a'lateral view of a further apparatus in accordance with theinvention having rotating guide elements;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of the drive unit for the guideelements of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the crumpling procedure of the inventionschematically;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 6 and illustrating anoval guide element which is angularly offset; and

FIG. 12 illustrates means for varying distance between rotatingdisk-like guide elements in accordance with one embodiment of theinventive apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the apparatus for crumplingvwebmaterial according to FIGS. 1 and 2, feed drum 1, receivingunfinished web 2, is disposed in front of treatmentmachine 3. Unfinishedweb 2 is conveniently fed from above to crumpling unit 5 by means ofdriven pairs of feed rolls 4. The crumplin g unit consists of forks 6which serve as guide elements and are disposed in pairs one below theother as shown. These forks are attached to rocking levers 7 which, inturn, are connected, via intermediate levers 8, with crank 9. When crank9 is rotated, rocking levers 7 execute a swinging motion directedagainst one another, wherein, in the external dead-center position,approximately the passage width for the spread-out web material 2 isattained, whereas the internal dead-center position, a crumplingposition 10 is produced wherein web 2 is compressed approximately intothe shape of a skein or cord. The degree of compression in the internaldead-center position depends on the material to be processed and can bemade to be adjustable, also so that it is overlapping. Crank 9 is drivenby motor 11 which is preferably of the infinitely variable type.

It can be seen that web 2, during the continuous passage throughtreatment zone 12 is periodically laterally compressed between forks 6and continuously assumes random positions during this step, whereincorrespond ingly arranged, irregular gatherings and folds are produced.Thus, web 2 is gathered in a wave-like fashion repeatedly inperpendicularly disposed planes, i.e., crumpled, whereby, for example,in case of artificial leather webs, a naturally appearing grain isattained. The thus-crumpled material 2 can now be discharged toward thebottom and fed to windup drum mechanism via spreading device 13 andadditional pairs of rolls 14. However, it is also possible to deflectweb 2 in the proximity of lowermost fork 6 and remove the web betweenforks 6 again at the top, as indicated in dot-dash lines in FIG. 1.Thus, the treatment time is doubled, and, in particular in thedeflecting zone, an increased random distribution of the crumpling isattained.

The crumpling step is distinguished by an arbitrary buckling of thematerial, as shown schematically in FIGS. 9 and 10. Web 2 is gathered bythe guide elements, namely in the longitudinal as well as transversedirections, wherein these gathering steps take place simultaneously inthe treatment zone. Thus, the important point is to form wave shape 52,for example in the longitudinal extension of web 2 and then again to laythese waves into waves 53. Thus, two superimposing wave formations areprovided disposed approximately at right angles to each other. Thereby,crumpling zones 54 are produced, especially in the region of smallbending radii, wherein web 2 is laid into random folds (pleats, creases,etc.), since the material cannot contract elastically.

The crumpling device according to FIGS. 3 and 4 exhibits, in place offorked guide elements 6 of the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2,disks 17 effective as the guide elements and disposed on shafts 16arranged in series in the feed direction. The disks on each shaft 16 areattached at fixed axial spacings and engage the gaps between the disksdisposed on the adjacent shaft 16. Shafts 16 are oppositely driven, forexample by means of chain 18, the latter being set into rotation by amotor 19, which is preferably of the infinitely variable type.

In order to obtain the aforementioned undulation in the longitudinalextension of web 2, web 2 can be laterally gathered prior to enteringthe treatment zone 12. For this purpose, a feed mechanism 20 is providedwhich similarly consists of disks 22 arranged on shafts 21, disks 22 ofone shaft 21 engaging the gaps between disks 22 of a vertically offsetshaft 21, in order to obtain, in cross section, a loop-like orwave-shaped, slottype passage opening and thereby producing a lateralgathering of web 2 to the desired operating width. This effect can beproduced by increasing the engagement depth in the feed direction, asindicated in FIG. 3. The number of the disks 22 can also be increased ina wedge-shaped manner in the feed direction, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus,starting with the center and continuing toward both sides, a contractionof the web of material 2 which progresses toward the outside is obtainedthereby avoiding local tensile stresses during the subsequent treatment.

Disks 17 of treatment zone 12 and/or also the disks 22 of the feed unit20 can be circular, oval, or also polygonal, the latter being effectedpreferably with rounded edges, and they can also be supportedconcentrically or eccentrically. The important factor is that the web 2be guided through the treatment zone 12 essentially free of tensilestresses, so that the web 2 can be arbitrarily placed into as high anumber of different crumpling positions as possible and thus to bucklethe web. For this reason, it is possible to arrange additional disks 22and/or guide elements 17 in an axially offset manner in the feeddirection from shaft to shaft. In FIGS.- 5, 6 and 11, triangular guideelement 17 and oval guide element 17 are illustrated, respectively. Thelatter consists of an ovally bent round material attached to shaft 16,wherein additionally an angularly offset position of the guide elements17 can be provided in the axial direction.

The length of treatment zone 12, as well as that of feeding unit 20depends on the material of web 2 and the required degree of crumpling.For the same reason, the degree of engagement of guide elements 17 andthe operating speed thereof are variable, preferably in an infinitefashion.

In a further development of the present invention, shafts 16 with guideelements 17 can also be severally mounted rotatably at crosses 23disposed in pairs, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The crosses 23 aresupported to be rotatable in such a manner that, during rotation, oneshaft 16 of one cross engages into the interspace between two adjacentshafts 16 of the other cross 23. In a manner already described above,guide elements 17 of one shaft 16 mesh with the gaps between guideelements 17 of the two other shafts 16. In the illustrated embodiment,web 2 is guided from feed drum 1 via guide rolls 24 through wettingchamber 25 wherein web 2 is moistened with a spray of a gaseous orgas-like medium exiting from nozzles 26, such as gases, vapors, fogs,suspended substances, and similar materials, In adjoining heatingchamber 27, web 2 is heated to a presettable temperature. For thispurpose, heating bars 28, or also hot air, can be provided. In thisprepared condition, web 2 passes, via feeding mechanism 20 forprecreasing the web, into treatment zone '12 with two crosses 23 whichrotate in opposition to each other. The crumpling step is executed inthe manner already set forth above. Thereafter, web 2, after passingthrough a pair of rolls 29 corresponding to feeding mechanism 20,travels through a further chamber 30. Fresh air is taken in throughblower 31 into this chamber and again blown off to the outside, orconversely, in order to cool the still hot web 2, so that it can bewound up onto windup drum 15 in the cold state.

The traveling speed of web 2 and thus the processing intensity can beselectively adjusted by an infinitely variable, independent drive ofcrosses 23 and shafts 16. The drive for this purpose is illustrated inFIG. 8. Crosses 23 are fixedly disposed on parallel shafts 32 providedwith drive gear wheels 33. Chain 34 travels over these gear wheels, insuch a manner that shafts 32 are driven synchronously in oppositedirections. For driving chain 34, infinitely variable motor 35 or acorresponding transmission is provided. Additionally, motor 36, likewisebeing infinitely variable or provided with an infinitely variable gear,drives shafts 16 carrying guide elements 17. Chain 37, set into rotationby motor 36, runs over two gear wheels 38 and 39. Of these gear wheels,wheel 38 is seated on shaft 32 of one pair of crosses 23 in a freelyrotatable manner, and is fixedly connected to a further gear wheel 41for rotation therewith by means of quill shaft 40. Chain 42, insertedinto the teeth of this gear wheel 41, is guided via corresponding gearwheels 43 at shafts 16 of this pair of crosses 23. Therotation 'of thegear wheel 42accord inglyeffects a similar and synchronous rotation ofshafts'16 and thus guide -elements 17. The other gear wheel 39 isfixedly connected with gear wheel45 for rotation theiiewithby means ofshaft-.44, gearwheel 45 being disposed at the other end of shafts '16.Chain 46 connects gear wheel 45 with gear wheel 47 on shaft 32 of theother pair of crosses 23. The latter is rotatably connected with gearwheel 49 in the manner described.

above by means of quill shaft 48, and gear wheel 49, which in turn, isin driving connection with gear wheels 51 seated on shafts 16 of thispair of crosses 23, by means of chain 50. Thus, these shafts 16 withguide elements 17 disposed thereon are brought into synchronous rotationin the opposite direction. It can be seen that, depending on the numberof revolutions of crosses 23 and the speed of guide elements 17, aselectively adjustable traveling speed of the web is achieved, whereinthe processing intensity is correspondingly more or less strong. Byreversing the direction of rotation, the material can also be allowed totravel forward and backward. Of course, it is likewise possible todispose several pairs of crosses 23 one behind the other.

The assembly shown in FIG. 12 can be utilized to mount respective shafts32. In this assembly, lower shaft 32 is rotatably mounted on a bushing61 which is fixed in place between walls 62 and 64 of the apparatus. Theupper shaft 32 is rotatably mounted on bushing 63 which is adapted tovertically move in thespace defined between walls 62 and 64. A threadedspindle 66 is rotatably mounted on its bottom on bushing 61 and passesthrough upper bushing 63. Upper bushing 63 and spindle 66 are providedwith cooperating threads so that rotation of spindle 66 will causevertical displacement of bushing 63 and hence upper shaft 32.

The advantages attained by the present invention reside particularly inthat the web of material is continuously processed, independently of itslength. The entire treatment procedure, such as introduction, gathering,crumpling, spreading, and removal, takes place in a purely mechanicalmanner requiring only monitoring functions. The process and theapparatus therefor is suitable for all web-shaped and flexible flatmaterials which are subjected to a crumpling procedure to render thempliable or to loosen or grain same, etc. As compared to previousmethods, the process of this invention affords a considerablesimplification and acceleration of the crumpling process. The presentinvention offers, for the first time, the opportunity to couple acrumpling device directly with a coating plant for artificial leather,so that a common manufacturing train is provided yielding, as the finalproduct, grained artificial leather.

It is understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are susceptibleto numerous changes and modifications, as will be apparent to a personskilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited tothe details shown and described herein but intended to cover any suchchanges and modifications within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for the continuous crumpling of a flexible, flat web toform random creases therein comprising: treatment means forrning atreatment zone for continuously and alternately gathering said websimultaneously in its longitudinal and transverse directions, saidtreatment means comprising a plurality of guide elements for gatheringsaid web in said zone, said guide 6 elements arranged in succeeding rowsin-the feeding direction of said 'web, the guide'elements in each rowintermeshing with guide elements in adjacent rows in the direction oftravel of the webthrough said zone, the 7 web being guided through saidtreating zone in a wavelike manner simultaneously in longitudinal andtransverse dire,ctions,,,said treatment means further including'drivemeans for rotating said guide elements for advancing said web throughsaid treatment means; feedingmeans for continuously supplying said webin its flat, outstretched state to said treatment means; means forcontinuously removing said web from said treatmet means; and means forcontinuously stretching and spreading out said web to yield theflexible, flat web having random creases therein; said treatment meansfurther comprising at least two parallel rotatable axles, amulti-pronged member disposed on each axle, shafts rotatably mounted onthe prongs of each of said members and containing said guide elementsthereon such that said guide elements are radially offset from saidaxles, and drive means for synchronously rotating said axles and hencesaid multi-pronged members in opposite directions whereby said guideelements mesh in a cogwheel manner.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said guide elements aredisks.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said disks areeccentrically arranged on said shafts.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means is adaptedto variably rotate said guide elements.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shafts are arrangedin parallel.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said treatment meansfurther comprises means for varying the radial distance between saidmulti-pronged members.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said 1 ,drive meansincludes means to drive said multi-pronged members and said shaftsassociated therewith synchronously and independently.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive means includesmeans to rotate said multipronged members and said shafts associatedtherewith in an infinitely variable manner.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive means includes acentral gear wheel independently and rotatably mounted on at least oneof the ,axles and having means associated therewith for driving theshafts mounted on the multi-pronged member associated therewith in thesame direction and synchronously.

10. An apparatus for the continuous crumpling of a flexible, flat web toform random creases therein comprising at least two multi-prongedmembers mounted for rotation about respective parallel axes, a pluralityof parallel shafts mounted on the prongs of said multipronged members, aplurality of guide elements mounted on each shaft, said multi-prongedmembers, shafts and guide elements mounted so that the guide elements onthe shaft of one multi-pronged member intermesh in a cogwheel mannerwith the guide elements on the shafts of the other multipronged member,and

, first drive means for synchronously rotating said multi- 65- seconddrive means for rotating said guide elements.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein saidmultipronged members aremounted on at least two parallel rotatable axles.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each shaft is supported by atleast two coaxial multi-pronged members.

1. An apparatus for the continuous crumpling of a flexible, flat web toform random creases therein comprising: treatment means forming atreatment zone for continuously and alternately gathering said websimultaneously in its longitudinal and transverse directions, saidtreatment means comprising a plurality of guide elements for gatheringsaid web in said zone, said guide elements arranged in succeeding rowsin the feeding direction of said web, the guide elements in each rowintermeshing with guide elements in adjacent rows in the direction oftravel of the web through said zone, the web being guided through saidtreating zone in a wavelike manner simultaneously in longitudinal andtransverse directions, said treatment means further including drivemeans for rotating said guide elements for advancing said web throughsaid treatment means; feeding means for continuously supplying said webin its flat, outstretched state to said treatment means; means forcontinuously removing said web from said treatmet means; and means forcontinuously stretching and spreading out said web to yield theflexible, flat web having random creases therein; said treatment meansfurther comprising at least two parallel rotatable axles, amulti-pronged member disposed on each axle, shafts rotatably mounted onthe prongs of each of said members and containing said guide elementsthereon such that said guide elements are radially offset from saidaxles, and drive means for synchronously rotating said axles and hencesaid multi-pronged members in opposite directions whereby said guideelements mesh in a cogwheel manner.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1wherein said guide elements are disks.
 3. An apparatus according toclaim 2 wherein said disks are eccentrically arranged on said shafts. 4.An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means is adapted tovariably rotate said guide elements.
 5. An apparatus according to claim1, wherein said shafts are arranged in parallel.
 6. An apparatusaccording to claim 5 wherein said treatment means further comprisesmeans for varyIng the radial distance between said multi-prongedmembers.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive meansincludes means to drive said multi-pronged members and said shaftsassociated therewith synchronously and independently.
 8. An apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said drive means includes means to rotatesaid multi-pronged members and said shafts associated therewith in aninfinitely variable manner.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the drive means includes a central gear wheel independently androtatably mounted on at least one of the axles and having meansassociated therewith for driving the shafts mounted on the multi-prongedmember associated therewith in the same direction and synchronously. 10.An apparatus for the continuous crumpling of a flexible, flat web toform random creases therein comprising at least two multi-prongedmembers mounted for rotation about respective parallel axes, a pluralityof parallel shafts mounted on the prongs of said multi-pronged members,a plurality of guide elements mounted on each shaft, said multi-prongedmembers, shafts and guide elements mounted so that the guide elements onthe shaft of one multi-pronged member intermesh in a cogwheel mannerwith the guide elements on the shafts of the other multipronged member,and first drive means for synchronously rotating said multi-prongedmembers.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said drive meanssynchronously rotates said multi-pronged members in opposite directions.12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said guide elements are rotatablymounted on said shafts.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, furthercomprising feeding means for feeding said web in its flat, outstretchedstate between the intermeshing guide elements, and means for removingsaid web from between said intermeshing guide elements.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 12, further comprising second drive means forrotating said guide elements.
 15. The apparatus of claim 12, whereinsaid multi-pronged members are mounted on at least two parallelrotatable axles.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each shaft issupported by at least two coaxial multi-pronged members.